


just one night

by wolfish_willow



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bisexual Steve Harrington, F/M, Gen, Light Angst, Post-Season/Series 03, Pre-Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Pre-Poly, Pre-Relationship, Sharing Clothes, Sharing a Bed, Steve Harrington Needs a Hug, Steve Harrington-centric, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED, but then he always does in my mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24900394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfish_willow/pseuds/wolfish_willow
Summary: Steve blinks slowly. When his eyes open again, the room hasn't changed. There, in the middle of the space, is one bed.
Relationships: Jonathan Byers & Steve Harrington & Nancy Wheeler, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 90





	just one night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eraseyourbookofstories](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eraseyourbookofstories/gifts).



> Written for the prompt: 28. "There's only one bed."

"There's only one bed."

Steve blinks slowly. When his eyes open again, the room hasn't changed. There, in the middle of the space, is one bed. He'd been looking forward to falling face first into a mattress and not moving again until morning. His back aches just at the thought of sleeping on the floor tonight. 

"What?" Jonathan asks, coming into the room behind him. Nancy is already in the bathroom, having moved fast enough to claim the first shower of the night. "Oh."

Jonathan pauses next to him, close enough that their arms touch. Steve's too tired to move away; it has nothing to do with the thrum of _something_ at the feeling of being touched by hi—someone else. 

"Yeah."

They stand there another minute.

"I can take the floor—"

"No," Jonathan cuts in. He shakes his head and looks at Steve like he's being unreasonable. What does he expect Steve to think? That they're just going to be fine sharing with him when they've barely even spoken to him outside of Upside Down slash monster-related events? "The floor won't do any of us any favors."

"So we just…"

Jonathan nods. "It's just one night."

Right. Just one night. 

The bathroom door opens and Nancy walks out, scrubbing a towel through her wet hair. She's back in her dirty clothes. Steve winces, but it isn't like they meant to stay overnight somewhere. He thinks about the extra sets of clothes sitting in his car, things he'd thrown in for one reason or another over the year. Sleep has been on the forefront of his thoughts since they pulled into the parking lot; something clean _to_ sleep in hadn't crossed his mind. 

"I've got some clothes in my car," he finally says. He braces himself for frustration at waiting until she was already showered and dressed to mention them. To his surprise, Nancy smiles at him instead. 

"Are they in the trunk?"

Steve nods. "Yeah, sorry I didn't even think about it until…"

"It's fine," she says and her smile doesn't falter. Jonathan nods beside him. "Not like we planned this."

"If you wanna give me the keys, I can grab the clothes while you hop in the shower," Jonathan offers. 

Hot water sounds like a dream right now. The water pressure won't be nearly as good as at home, and he knows he won't stay in there long—Jonathan is going to need it when he's done, after all—but he can't talk himself out of nodding in agreement.

"Thanks, man," he says, pulling the keys out of his pocket and handing them over. "Should be in my duffel bag."

Jonathan nods and Steve heads for the bathroom, grateful for the chance to wash some of the grime from the day off.

* * *

A couple showers and an assortment of clothes later, Steve is once again confronted with the reality of the situation. There is still only one bed and he is still going to have to share it with Nancy and Jonathan. Any other day, he would take the floor and leave them to it. Right now, though, his arms and back are sore and even looking at the ground sends a phantom pain up them both. It doesn't seem to matter how many times they deal with monsters, swinging that bat into them always leaves him aching for days afterward. 

Nancy looks up at him from what she has apparently claimed as her spot on the bed. It's the same side she always chose to sleep on when they were together. He pushes the thought away, forces himself to focus on what she's saying.

"They didn't have any rooms with more than one," she says. Her eyebrows are doing that thing they do, lifting just at the center of her forehead, when she's trying to apologize without having to say the words. Steve nods and shrugs because what else is there to do? 

It's just one night.

He doesn't know the best arrangement for the three of them. The bed isn't particularly small but it also wasn't built with more than two people in mind. 

Jonathan seems to know, though, nudging Nancy towards the middle so he can fill in the space she's been occupying since Steve got out of the bathroom. She scoots over without complaint. They share a small smile and Steve is happy for them, he swears, but he suddenly feels very lonely for a person in a room with two other people.

He swallows. Looking away from them, Steve steels himself to get into the side they've left for him. It's the side he usually sleeps on and it's closer to the door which he is silently grateful for. Even though it's awkward, he prefers to be between the door and anyone else in the room. He wouldn't be much use against anything that came in but he likes to think he'd at least be a good enough distraction for others to get away. He does the same thing when he has the kids over, setting up closest to the exit. It's about the only way he can sleep soundly when he's with someone else.

For a motel room, the bed isn't half bad. Or maybe that's just his muscles finally relaxing for the first time in a day. He groans.

"Are you okay?" Nancy asks and he feels her shift a little closer. The bed dips just slightly more at his side. She feels warm.

His mouth refuses to make words so he hums a quiet affirmation. The day has officially caught up to him and he's fading fast. Even Nancy's hand slipping into his isn't enough to make him move. 

"Good night," she says, Jonathan not far behind. Steve hums again, sure he must be imagining the brush of lips against his forehead. 

The next morning he'll wake up having somehow shifted into the middle of the bed, with Nancy and Jonathan curled so completely around him he can't move without waking them up. He'll realize he managed an entire night without nightmares despite the day before still fresh in his mind. 

For tonight, though, he listens to the both of them breathing in the quiet of the room, he squeezes Nancy's hand and falls asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment if you enjoyed it. They make me smile! (and of course kudos are also happy making)


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